Safety-envelop.



WTTTED @TATEd PATENT @FFTfiEt woJciEcH MABCHEWCZYK, or on caso, rntiuois.

SAFETY-ENVELOP.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, iVOJCIECH Manon- EWCZYK, a subject of the Emperor of Austria-Hungary, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improve ments in SafetyFnvelops, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in safety envelops.

The primary object of the invention is to provide any form of envelop, such as the paper envelop usually employed for correspondence, with a sealing device which prevents tampering with the contents of the envelop being only releasable by inutilating some portion of the device which would be readily detected by the recipient of the en velop.

A further object of the invention is to provide an envelop having the usual gummed closing flap with an auxiliary sealing member, portions of both'the envelop and the flap being arranged of delicate format-ion and when adhesively attached to such auxiliary member being incapable of separation without mutilation.

With these general objects in view and others that will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and then claimed.

In the drawings forming a part of this application and in which like designating characters refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views Figure 1 is a rear elevation of an envelop provided with the present device and shown in its open position.

Fig. 2 is a similar view thereof with the closing flap in its sealed position.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken 7 upon line III-III of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4: is a perspective view of an auxiliary sealing plate employed with the device.

The present arrangement for preventing tampering with sealed envelops is herein illustrated in connection with one of the standard forms of envelops 1O employed in the usual mail service and the arrangement broadly consists in the provision of a plate 11 formed of adhesive material such as glue or gelatin, preferably transparent and secured within th n op attached to the fr e "squared as at 18 and has Specification of Letters that. Pat t d Ma 27, 1951 17, Application filed March 13, 1916, Serial No. 83,917.

Renewed February 24, 1917. Serial No. 150,819.

7 adjacent edges of the bottom flap12of the opposite side flaps 13 thereof, as best illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

The bottom flap 12 has its upper edge 14 serrated,- forming a plurality of spaced narrow teeth 15 which are firmly adhered to the outer face of the plate 11. The top or closing flap 16 of the envelop has the usual adhesive or gummed surface 17 upon its inner side and adjacent the entire marginal portion thereof. The free end of the flap 16 is a substantially complementally formed arrangement of serrations 19 providing spaced enlargements or tabs 20 adapted to seat upon the plate 11 between the toeth 15 of the flap 12 when the flap 16 is in its closed position. The tabs 20 are provided with connecting ribs 21 adapted for overlying and traversing the aforementioned teeth 15 when the envelop is closed, the flap 16 thus being provided with a plurality of arch-shaped openings 22 for is ceiving the free end portions of the teeth 15 substantially centrally thereof when the envelop-is closed.

lVith the envelop normally positioned open as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the gummed surface 17 may be moistened in the usual manner and the entire outwardly exposed face of the glue plate 11 should be also moistened and whereupon after inserting the contents within the envelop 10, the closing flap 16 may be closed over the end flaps 13, the bottom flap l2 and the glue plate 11. Uponpressing the flap 16 down firmly in the sealing operation, the flaps 12 and 13 will be connected to the flap 16 by the adhesive surface 17 while theribs 21 will also adhere to the teeth 15 and the tabs 20 and the adjacent end portion of the flap 16 will be firmly engaged by the glue plate 11, as best illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

lVith the envelop so sealed in its closed position, an unusually strong closure is provided by reason of the adhesive strength of the glue plate 11 while the outward appearance of the seal is ornamental providing substantially a series arrangement of the letter A, itbeing noted also that the transparency of the plate 11 allows the presence or absence of any contents within the envelop to be readily noted. Any attempt to breakthe seal thus formed would require a large amount of dissolving action upon the glue plate 11 which would tend to mutilate portions of th de ice such as the delicate teeth 15 and ribs 21 so that upon re-sealing or otherWise,'the recipient of the letter Will at once note the unauthorized attempt at opening the same.

While the form of the invention herein shown and described is What is believed to be the preferable embodiment thereof, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made in the form, proportion and details of construction Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What I claim as new is A safety envelop having opposite side flaps, a bottom flap and a normally open closing flap, a transparent glue plate secured to the inner sides of the adjacent portions of the said side and bottom flaps and having an outer exposed surface rearwardly of the envelop, the said bottom flap having a serrated edge providing spaced teeth and grooved portions adjacent the said plate, the said closing flap having its free edge thereof formed substantially complementally to the said serrated edge and having spaced tabs arranged between the said teeth and with connecting ribs for the said tabs overlying the said teeth with the ends of the teeth exposed when the closing flap is in its sealed position upon the said plate, the tabs being received in the grooves, the adjacent edges of the said-tabs and teeth being slightly spaced apart when the envelop is closed.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

WOJCIECH MAROHEW CZ if K.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

